According to the EORNA Best Practice for the prevention of sharps injuries, perioperative staff should make sure to reduce the risk of injuries posed by medical sharps by implementing safe sharps practices such as the use to safety-engineered devices. These measures should include:
- Medical devices incorporating safety engineered mechanisms
- Effective training for staff in their use and disposal
- Effective work processes, including disposal of used sharps items
They further state that perioperative staff “must use devices to remove scalpel blades from their handles provide a safer system of work rather than using a surgical instrument to remove a contaminated blade.”
Safety-engineered devices should:
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- Be easy to use
- Be activated single-handedly
- Have a safety mechanism that is not reversible
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Risk to Operating Room Staff
The risk of sharps injuries to operating room personnel is avoidable. Training, safe work practices, and safety-engineered sharps devices can significantly reduce the risk. This risk extends beyond healthcare workers to anyone who might encounter contaminated sharps. While underreported, these injuries can transmit serious blood-borne diseases.
Qlicksmart Safety Engineered Products
Sterile scalpel blade removers like the Qlicksmart’s Blade Removers are EORNA compliant with sharps safety guidelines. These safety-engineered devices are optimised for the healthcare industry. They enable healthcare professionals to quickly and safely remove up to 100 scalpel blades.
In the Operating Theatre, Qlicksmart’s range of sterile scalpel blade removers utilise automatic safety technology for safe and efficient scalpel blade removal, containment, counting, and disposal. Compatible with most general surgery blades; flat handles, long handles, Baron handles, and circular handles.
With little to no training required, the Qlicksmart’s range of safety engineered devices are proven to reliably reduce the risk of scalpel cuts and injuries.
References:
European Operating Room Nurses Association. (2023, July). Eorna best practice for Perioperative Care. EORNA.EU. https://eorna.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/EORNA-Best-Practice-for-perioperative-care2023.pdf
